DELPHI RESEARCH AREAS

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DELPHI RESEARCH AREAS

• SHORT FIBER REINFORCED THERMOPLASTICS
• Fiber orientation and length distribution
  measurements and predictions by commercial codes
  (Moldflow)
• Utilization of microstructural predictions
  coupled to FEA to predict mechanical performance
  including strength, stiffness, fatigue and creep
• STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES (CONTINUOUS FIBER /
  THERMOSET MATRICES)
• Focus on glass and carbon fibers with 2D and 3D
  architectures and low pressure resin transfer
  molding
• Prediction of initial mechanical properties as
  well as long term durability

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SHORT FIBER INJECTION MOLDING
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INJECTION MOLDING FIBER ORIENTATION
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STATUS-Short Fiber Injection Molded

• DEVELOPED LABORATORY METHODS TO ACCURATELY
  MEASURE FIBER ORIENTATION AND LENGTH
  DISTRIBUTIONS IN MOLDED PARTS
• DEVELOPED FATIGUE FRACTURE MODEL USING FRACTURE
  MECHANICS APPROACH TO PREDICT PART LIFETIME WITH
  FEA
• IMPROVED MICROMECHANICS MODELS TO PREDICT
  STIFFNESS AND STRENGTH
• ESTABLISHED NEW ISO STANDARD 294-5 TEST PLAQUE
  FOR MECHANICAL ANISOTROPY
• EXISTING JOINT DEVELOPMENT WITH MOLDFLOW TO
  IMPROVE FIBER ORIENTATION SOFTWARE PREDICTIONS
  USING NEW MODEL BY PROFESSOR TUCKER
• ONGOING RESEARCH ON HIGH RATE DEFORMATION,
  FATIGUE, CREEP AND SHRINKAGE / WARPAGE PREDICTIONS

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DELPHI VISION
PREDICT DIMENSIONAL AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE OF
POLYMER COMPOSITES BY UTILIZING PROCESS
SIMULATIONS TO PREDICT MICROSTRUCTURE AND THUS
PROPERTIES FOR ANY PART GEOMETRY
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SHORT FIBER INJECTION MOLDING

• GAPS
• FIBER ORIENTATION DISTRIBUTION NOT ALWAYS CORRECT
• SOLIDIFICATION MODELS QUANTITATIVELY INACCURATE
• LONG FIBER REINFORCEMENTS
• TEST STANDARDS NEEDED FOR FATIGUE AND HIGH RATE
  PROPERTIES
• CONSISTENT MECHANICAL PROPERTY DATABASE LACKING
• THRUSTS
• IMPROVED FIBER ORIENTATION MODEL
• IMPROVED SHRINKAGE/WARPAGE MODELS
• LONG FIBER REINFORCEMENT REQUIRES NEW MODELS FOR
  FIBER ORIENTATION AND LENGTH ATTRITION
• EFFECT OF COMPLEX LOADING SEQUENCE ON FATIGUE
  LIFE (MINERS LAW, ETC.)
• HIGH RATE PROPERTY MEASUREMENTS
• STANDARDS

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STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES
Addressing Issues of Composite Mechanical
Properties, Processing and and Joining Cooperative
Effort with ORNL and PNNL on Durability of
Joints for Structural Composites
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STRUCTURAL COMPOSITESDELPHI CURRENT RESEARCH
AREAS

• PROCESSING OF TEST PLAQUES USING VARTM
• ESTABLISHING INITIAL STATIC MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
  AND FATIGUE (ORNL AND PNNL)
• EVALUATING FRACTURE MECHANICS METHODS FOR
  CHARACTERIZATION AND DURABILITY PREDICTIONS
  SUPPORTING EFFORT AT IMPERIAL COLLEGE
• UTILIZING ADVANCE FEA SOFTWARE FOR COMPOSITE
  PROPERTY PREDICTIONS
• WILL SCALE UP TO REAL PARTS (TRUCK APPLICATIONS)

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STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES
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DELPHI VISION
PREDICT DIMENSIONAL AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE OF
POLYMER COMPOSITES BY UTILIZING PROCESS
SIMULATIONS TO PREDICT MICROSTRUCTURE AND THUS
PROPERTIES FOR ANY PART GEOMETRY
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STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES

• GAPS
• ACCURATE DURABILITY PREDICTIONS
• PROCESSING/PROPERTY INTERACTIONS VOID CONTENT
  EFFECTS
• COMPLEX LOADING SPECTRA FOR FATIGUE MINERS
  RULE, ETC
• JOINING TECHNOLOGY
• STANDARDS MODE II AND III, APPLICATION TO 3D
  COMPOSITES
• COMPOSITIONAL EFFECTS ON DURABILITY (FIBER
  CONTENT, 2D VERSUS 3D)
• THRUSTS
• ACCURATE FEA PREDICTIONS
• VOID CONTENT MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
• FATIGUE STANDARDS AND IMPROVED DATABASE AND
  PREDICTIVE MODELS (COMPLEX LOADING SPECTRA,
  ENVIRONMENT)
• PREDICTIVE DURABILITY OF JOINTS (MECHANICAL AND
  BONDED)
• STANDARDS FOR FRACTURE MECHANICS